Amplitude and envelope phase noise of a modelocked laser predicted from its noise transfer function and the pump noise power spectrum

The amplitude and envelope phase noise of a modelocked Ti:sapphire laser are predicted based on the power spectral density of the pump laser and the noise transfer process. Pump laser noise is found to transfer directly to the modelocked laser's amplitude and phase noise power spectra through the noise transfer function (NTF) which is independently measured. We find good agreement between the shapes and absolute values of the predicted and measured Ti: sapphire AM and PM noise spectra except in regions where additional environmental influences affect the Ti: sapphire laser. The experiments were conducted with both a single-mode and a multi-mode diode-pumped solid-state pump laser. (C) 2008 Optical Society of America.